Fluid-compressor



R. ROLKERR. FLUID COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 191B- PatentedApr. 26, 1921.

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ZeZZoZaJZoZZ: @2 2 A TTORNE Y R. ROLKERR.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 1918.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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Elll wyu I Z I R. ROLKERR.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1918.

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IIYVVENTOR. fiea zowioZ/fer e ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RETLOW ROLKERE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FLUID-COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rn'rLow ROLKERR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, the county of Alamedaand 5 P. e of California, have invented new and us 'ul Improvements inFluid-Compressors, or" which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid com.- pressor of the rotary type.

it is the principal object of this invention to provide a machine forcompressing fluids and liquids, which is compact in its de may be ado.ted for compressing a iiuid to a desired number of atmospheres, andwhich is composed of but two movable parts adapted to rotate within thecase of he compressor and to continuously operate gradually raise thepressure of the fluid casing therethrough.

.nother object of this invention is to provide a rotary fluid compressorcomposed of few parts which may be readily interchanged 5111C. repaired,when desired, and winch are assembled and driven in a manner toeliminate the major portion of wear, due to the movement of its rotors.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

The present invention contemplates the use of a fixed outer casing and apair of inter-meshing runners having convolute walls. one of saidrunners rotating concenwith the horizontal axis of the case e otherrotating eccentrically thereto, relative movement between the will beeilected and a fluid protranst'erred from the outer an chamber of thecasing and corned to pass around a central eduction 40 The invention isillustrated by way of 1 ale in the accompanying drawings, in W 1 ll themachine as seen on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of the compressor in horizontal section as seen on theline 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation illustrating the eccentrically movingrunner as disasseciated from the case.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation illustrating the concentrically movingrunner as disassociated from the compressor.

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective further illustrating the detailedconstruction or" the runner disclosed in Fig. 5.

10 indicates the casing of the compressor and is here shown as beingformed of end plates 11 and 12 which are bolted to an annular wall 13,interposed therebetween. The end plates are formed with outwardlyextending feet which provide a base by which the compressor may be fixedas de sired. Preferably the plates have an upper semicircular portionconcentric with the annular wall 13 for which they form opposite ends.Bearings l i are formed upon the outer sides of the two plates and areconcentrically disposed in relation to the inclosing wall 13. Thesebearings are concentricauy threaded to receive stur'ling boxes 15 bywhich eduction pipes 16 are secured at the opposite sides of the casing.

Central, annular bores 17 are formed through the bearings and concentricthere with. The hubs 18 of disks 19 and 20 are rotatably disposed withinthe bearings and are tinrther supported by antifriction bearings 2-1.The disks 19 and 20 are circular and concentric with their hubs which,as shown in the drawings, are shown as tubular. Upon the smooth paralleladjacent faces of the disks are formed convolute grooves 22. Thesegrooves are of the configuration shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings whereit will be seen that they form a continuous convolute spiral extendingfrom a point adjacent to the rotatable axis or" the disks to a pointnear their outer circumfen ence. These grooves are adapted to receive aconvolutely wound vane 23 which corresponds in configuration to thegrooves and rests with its opposite edges seated within the grooves.This vane is comparatively vanes 23 of the concentric runner.

thin in thickness and is fixed between the two disks 19 and 20 andwithin the grooves by means of disk bolts 24: distributed at intervalsaround the circumference of the two disks.

It is to be noted that the disks 19 and 20 are adapted to rotateconcentrically of the horizontal aXiS of the casing. The rotation of theunit comprising the disks 19-and 20 and the vane 23 is effected by gears25 and 26 secured upon a drive shaft 27 and par ticularly shown in Fig.a of the drawing. This shaft is journaled within the opposite end wallsof the casing and is disposed on a line below the horizontal axis of thecase. The gears 25-and 26 are in constant mesh with gear teeth formedaround the periphery of each of the disks 19 and 20 and the floatingmember.

Mounted between the end disks 19 and 20 isan eccentrically moving runnerwhich is supported in a floating manner in relation to theconcentrically moving runner comprising the two disks and the vane 23.This eccentric runner is particularly disclosed in Figs. 5 and T of thedrawings, where it will be seen to comprise a pair of circular end walls28 and 29 cast integral with a convolute vane 30. The wall of this vaneis of greater thickness than the wall of the vane 23, as shown bycomparison in Fig. 3. This vane is inclosed by a cylindrical wall 31,with which it is united at its outer end. The outer diameter of the wall31 is considerably less than the outer diameters of the side flanges 28and 29 formed integral therewith. This provides an annular air spacebetween the two flanges and around the wall.

Transversely extending cooling fins are formed integral with the flanges28 and 29 and are distributed around the annular wall 31, being arrangedradially in relation thereto. A series of large perforations 33 isformed through the walls of the flanges to accommodate the clampingbolts 24: of the disks 19 and 20 and also to allow these disks to haverelative movement in relation to the flanges without limitation thereby.An examination of Figs. 1 and 2 will disclose the utility of theenlarged perforations 33 and the manner in which the bolts 24: areallowed free movement within the perforations.

Referring more particularly to Figs. .1 and 2, it will be seen that thecylindrical wall 31 of the eccentric runner not only circumscribes thevane 30 but also incloses the This forms a cylindrical compressionchamber within which two convolute runners are disposed'and are arrangedin eccentric intermeshing relation to each other. As previously stated,the concentric runner A is driven by gears 25 and 26 and a drive shaft27. This same thing is true oi the eccentric runner, although thisrunner is permit- .ted to float within the casing, being held ment ofthe runner B to a vertical plane.

while allowing it to continuously rotate in synchronism with the runneris; it being understood that the relative movement n; tween the tworunners is effected by the eccentric disposition of the vane 30 inrelation to the concentrically arranged vane An induction port- 38 isformed through the cylindrical wall 13 of the case and communicates withan annular chamber formed by the case and the cylindrical wall or" therunner B. This wall of the runner is formed with openings at equalintervals around its circumference and thus allows the air to pass intothe cylindrical chamber within the runner l3. l hen the runner Breceives the fluid through its cylindrical wall it immediately proceedsto advance this volume of fluid between the vanes of the two runners asthey rotate and thus progressively compress the fluid as it is carriedto the center of the runner A and allowed to pass out through theoduction pipes 16 in communication with the tubular hubs of the runnerdisks 19 and 20.

In operation, the machine is assembled, as particularly disclosed in thedrawings and its drive shaft 27 provided with suitable power forrotation. As this shaft rotates in the direction of the arrow 4, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will cause the runners A and B to. rotate inthe direction oi the arrow 6 in the same figures. Due to the fact thatthe runner ii is provided with fixed hubs, it will rotate continuouslyupon a single horizontal axis. as driven by the drive shaft 27 and itsgears. At the same time that the runner A is rotating concentrically,the drive shaft ant gears will retate the runner B eccentrically.

An examination of Figs. 1 and 2 will disclose the fact that the pitch ofthe convolute vanes is equal and that the extreme space between thesevanes in their overlapping position is equal to the combined thicknessof the vane 23 and the vane 30. Furthermore, due to the eccentricdisposition of the vane 30 in relation to the vane 23, a series or"crescent shaped pockets will be formed between the vanes at all times.

T he two vanes thus form a series of pockets of reduced capacity as theyapproach the axis of the runners and reach the central compartment wherethey are in communication with the eduction pipes.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a termination pocket C is formed by thecylindrical outer wall of the runner B and a portion of the firstconvolution of its vane 30. The pocket thus formed is closed by theouter end of the vane 23 which continuously moves concentric with theaxis of the machine. .Vhen the vane 23 is in contact with the innersurface of the wall 31 a second crescent-shaped compartment D will beformed by portions of the two vanes. This compartment will be terminatedby contact of the two vanes at a point along the vertical axis of thecas ing. After reaching this point the two vanes will again separate toform a compartment E of reduced volume. This compartment is followed bya compartment F, after which a smaller compartment G occurs. In thepresent instance a compartment H, of smaller volume than any of thepreceding ones, is formed and this in turn communicates with a centralchamber I in direct communication with the eduction pipes 16 extendingthrough the opposite hubs of the disks 19 and 20.

Assuming that the compartment 0 is filled with a fluid and that the tworunners are rotating at constant speed, it will be evident that the halfrotation of the two runners will transfer the fluid progressively fromthe position of the compartment 0 into that occupied by the compartment1).. The relation of the two vanes, after the runners have rotated ahalf of a revolution, is particularly shown in Fig. 2. A comparison ofthis View with the preceding one will disclose the fact that due to theeccentricity of the two convolute runners the vane 30 will have movedvertically and downwardly until it has encountered the upper face of thevane 23. This movement will separate the outer end of the vane 23 fromthe inn-er surface of the cylindrical wall 31 of the runner B and allowdirect communication between the compartment C and the compartment D.This change in. relation between the two vanes will cause the fluid tobe forced from between the portion of the compartments at the left-handside of the ver tical axis of the machine and into the adjacentcompartment which is of reduced capacity.

Continuous operation of the machines will eventually transfer the fluidoriginally in the compartment C through the compartments D, E, F, G andH successively and into the central compartment I. In the event of eachtransfer the fluid will be forced into a compartment of smaller capacityand compressed. It will thus be seen that with the device here discloseda gradual compression will be effected which might be termed a six-stagecompression. It will be manifest that continuous rotation of the tworunners will cause them to rotate at the same rate of speed and willeffect a relative movement of the two vanes which will continuouslycompress a fluid passing therebetween.

It will thus be seen that the compressor here disclosed is composed offew elements, simple in construction, which are not subjected toexcessive wear, and which will operate in a continuous manner andwithout objectionable vibration to continuously and progressivelycompress a fluid.

lVhile I have shown the preferred construction of my fluid compressor asnow known to me, it will be understood that various changes in thecombination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departin 1 from the spirit of my invention.

%onsideration of the device here shown will disclose the fact that thestructure embodied in the present invention may be readily adapted foruse as a pump, in which case the fluid or liquid passing therethroughwill not be confined in its course of travel but will be forced alongthe volute channel by the action of the volute vane operating therein.

Having thus described'my invention, what- I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is- 1. In a fluid compressor, a pair of volute vanesdisposed about a single shaft, a means for rotating one of said vanesconcentric with the shaft and the other of said vanes eccentric thereto,whereby the two vanes will cooperate to force a volume of fluid alongand between their convolutions and to the center thereof.

2. In a fluid compressor, a rotatable runner having a fixed axis, asecond rotatable runner having a floating axis, and means wherebyrelative change of position of the two runners during their rotationwill cause a fluid passing thcrebetween to be' compressed.

'3. In a fluid compressor, an outer casing. bearings in the oppositeends thereof, a runner supported to rotate by said bearings and upon asingle axis, a second runner disposed within the case and adapted torotate upon a floating axis, and mean for constantly rotating both ofsaid runners irrespective of the change of position therebetween.

l. A fluid compressor comprising a circular casing, a runner supportedtherein to constantly rotate upon the axis of the easing, a volute vaneforming a part of said runner and disposed with its axis concentricthereto, a second runner having a floating axis, and means wherebyrelative movement may be effected between the two runners to cause afluid to be progressively forced along and between the convolutions ofthe vane, whereby it will be compressed and. will be allowed to escapeat the axis thereof;

5. A fluid compressor comprising an in closing case, a runner thereinand rotatably supported thereby, a volute vane having a plurality ofconvolutions and forming part of said runner, the spaces at the sides ofsaid vane being closed, floating runner having a cylindrical "u allCllCUl11SC1lling the volute vane, means for simultaneously rotating thetwo runners in asinglc direction, and means whereby relative transversemovem nt may be eilected between the runners to force a fluid along andbe tween the convolutions of said volute vane and thereby compress it tol e emitted from an eduction port at the center of the first namedrunner V 6. A fluid compressor comprising a casing having an inductionport through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotating run nerinclosed within said casing and supported by bearings at the oppositeends thereof, said runner comprising a pair of spaced circular dislzs, avolute vane having aplurality oiconvolutions and secured between thedislzs and concentric with the an thereof, a floating runner having a ccal wall inclosing the vane of the fir runner and disposed between theone thereof, induction ports through sai floating runner and extendingwith its convolutions between the convolutions oi the first namedrunner, and means whereby rotation of the two runners at a single speedand in a single direction will effect relative movement between the twovolute vanes and thereby progressively transmit volumes of a fluid fromthe casing along and between the vanes to the center thereof, andeduction concentrically rotating runner i'or allowing the escape of thefluid compressed between the runner vanes.

7. In a fluid compressor, a pair of rotatable runners, a casinginclosing said runners, means whereby one runner will be adapted torotate concentrically with the axis of the casing, means for supportingthe other runner in a floating position in relation to saidconcentrically rotating runner, means 7 for simultaneously driving therunners in a continuous direction and at sin respective of the change ofposition of the floating runner to the concentric runner, and meanswhereby the two runners will have relative movement in relation to eachother and will thereby compress a fluid passing therebetween.

le speed in 8. In a fluid compressor, a casing, sets of gear pinionsrotatably secured within said casing and upon diametrically oppositesides thereof, a pair of intermeshing runners disposed within the casingand between the pinions, gears formed around the periphcries of saidrunners and in mesh with said pinions, and means whereby one of saidrunners will be provided with a vertical floating movement while rotatedcontinuously with the otherrunner and at the same soeed.

9. A fluid compressor comprising a case, a concentrically rotatingrunner tierein, said runner consisting ofa pair of circular d s spacedin relation to each other and journaled in the opposite ends of thecase, a volute vane positioned between the disks and concentric with theaxis thereof, bolts clamping the said disks together to bind the vane, afloating runner circumscribing the volute vane and disposed between thedisks, means whereby said runner may have movement in relation to theconcentrically rotating runner without obstruction from the clampingbolts thereof, and means whereby continuous rotation of the two runnersat a single speed will efiect a mov ment of the floating runner andcause air to be forced inwardly along the volute vane to be compressedthereby.

10. ln a device of the character described, an outer case comprising acylindrical wall, end plates bolted to the opposite sides of said wallforming an inclosed compartment, and circular recesses formed by thewall and upon diametrically opposite sides of toe axis thereof forreceiving operating gears.

11. In a device of the character described,

a runner comprising a pair of separate cirular end plates, tubular hubsextending opiositely from said plates and concentric therewith, volutegrooves formed in the adjacent faces of the plates, a volute vaneadapted to seat within said grooves to form a continuous volutecompression chamber having a series of convolutions, a series of gearteeth formec around the peripheries of said plates, and driving gearsadapted to produce rotation of the runner so formed.

12. in a device of the character described, a floating runner comprisinga cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributedtherearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extendingthroughout a series of convolutions, parallel spaced flanges extendingfrom the wall, and gear teeth formed around the peripheries of saidflanges to afford driving means for the runner. a

13. in a device of the character described, a floating runner comprisinga cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributedtherearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extending throughout series of convolutions, parallel spaced flanges extending the wall,and radially extending cooling fins disposed between the flanges andspaced at intervals around the wall of the runner.

14. In a device of the character described, a floating runner comprisinga cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributedtherearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extendingthroughout a series of convolutions, and parallel spaced flangesextending from the wall having enlarged openings through which bolts mayextend in relation to which the runner is movable.

15. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentricallyrotating runner inclosed within said case and wi'hin which a volutepassageway is formed, floatable runner having a circumferential wallcireumscribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, and a volutevane forming a part of the floatable runner and extending along thevolute passa eway of the concentric runner.

16. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentricallyrotating runner inclosed within said case and within which a volutepassageway is formed, a floatable runner having a circumferential wallcircum cribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, a volutevane forming a part of the floatable runner and extending along thevolute passageway of the concentric runner, means for simultaneouslyrotating both of said runners, and means whereby the volute vane of thefloating runner will be caused to move radially back and forth acrossthe volute passageway of the concentric runner whereby a series ofalternately occurring compression chambers will be formed within thevolute passageway.

17. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentricallyrotating runner inclosed within said case and within which a volutepassageway is formed, a floatable runner having a circumferential wallcircumscribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, avolute vanef rming a part of the floatable runner and extending along the volutepassageway of the concentric runner, means for simultaneously rotatingbothof said runners, and means whereby the volute vane of the floatingrunner will continuously change position in relation to the walls of thevolute passageway along which it extends to progressively force volumesof a fluid therealong to be emitted from the inner end of thepassageway.

18. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having aninduction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotatingrunner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volutevane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, acylindrical wall inclosing both of said vanes and formed integral withthe terminating end of the floating vane, means for driving said vanesin synchronism, and means for maintaining the floating vane in eccentricrelation to the concentric vane.

19. A fluid compressor, comprising a sta tionary casing having aninduction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotatingrunner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volutevane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, acylindrical wall inclcsing both of said vanes and formed integral withthe terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery ofsaid wall, connecting means between said flanges and disks wherebyradial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentricmember is permitted, means for rotating said members in synchronism, andmeans for maintaining said floating member eccentrically of theconcentric member.

20. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having aninduction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotatingrunner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volutevane, volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, acylindrical wall inclosing both of said vanes and formed integral withthe terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery ofsaid wall, connecting means be tween said flanges and disks wherebyradial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentricmember is permitted, gear teeth about the peripheries of said disks andflanges, driving gears mounted on the inner wall of said stationarycasing and adapted to mesh with said gear teeth, and means for limitingthe radial movement of said floating member within a vertical plane.

21. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having aninduction port through the wall thereof. a concentrically rotatingrunner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volutevane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, acylindrical wall in closing both of said vanes and formed integral withthe terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery ofsaid wall, connecting means between said flanges and disks wherebyradial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentricmember is permitted, gear teeth about the peripheries of said disks andflanges, driving gears mounted on the inner wall of said stationarycasing and adapted to mesh with said gear teeth, and

idler gears mounted similar to the driving set my hand in the presenceof two subgeiars andh disposed diametricaflly ctihereof scribingWitnesses.

w ereby t e eccentric re ation 0 sai floating member with relation tothe concentric RETLOW ROLKERR' member is maintained Within a verticalWitnesses:

plane. 7 JOHN H. HERBING, In testimony whereof I have hereunto W. W.HEALEY.

